Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in this country. There are many factors that contribute to this alarming statistic.

A major risk factor is high total cholesterol, specifically elevated LDL-cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol. The LDL-cholesterol called the “bad cholesterol” is responsible for the plaque formation and subsequent hardening of the coronary arteries. Conversely, the HDL-cholesterol referred to as the “good cholesterol” is responsible for clearing the fatty debris in the arteries.(more…)